Black Cats and White Lies
by Queens of Hell
Summary: Katje Bernhardt didn't really have expectations for her time at Hogwarts, but becoming best friends with a disgraced pureblood and his band of trouble probably wasn't one of them. With Kat and the Marauders ruling the halls, she can finally rest and enjoy her safety.


Everybody was watching her, even if they didn't realize it themselves. The confidence rolled off her in waves, her simple floral dress and boots seemingly out of place amongst the mismatched muggle outfits and Wizarding robes. She had no cart, and simply glided through the crowd with a black messenger back and a tuxedo kitten staring wondrously out of one of the many pockets. Her lavender hair fell down her back in soft waves, and some stopped to out rightly stare at the young girl. She climbed up the steps on to the train, and disappeared into the red engine.

As Sirius Black watched her go, he knew that something was going to be different about this year.

**Katje's PoV**

I walked toward the back of the train before settling into an empty compartment. From the crowd out on the platform, I knew that the compartment would stay empty only for a little while.

Sure enough, as soon as I had set Asterix on the floor to roam around and stretch her legs, the door slid open.

I look up at a shaggy haired boy my age, three others behind him. All four were wearing muggle clothing that actually matched and didn't look like a three year old had dressed themselves.

"Mind if we intrude?" the boy grins, one of those ones that boys used to make you do things for them.

I simply nod, and pry Asterix off the opposite seat, dropping the kitten in my lap.

"I'm Sirius Black. These losers are James Potter, Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew." The boy thrusts his hand in my face after sitting down on my right.

The other three boys took the other seats, with James across from me in the window seat, Remus across from Sirius and Peter on Remus' left.

"Katje Bernhardt. This is Asterix." I reply. I notice the boys look confused at my thicker, no-British accent. "I am an exchange student." I explain, and Asterix leaps out of my lap and on to Sirius.

"Sorry, sorry!" I make a grab for the cat, but Sirius waves me off.

"Hey, it's no problem. She's cute." He scratches the cat under her chin, and the feline starts purring.

"so, Katje, where are you from?" James asks, but pronounces my name like 'kat-A'

"Kaht-jeh." I say slowly, enunciating every syllable. "And I am from Aschaffenburg, and town in the south of Germany."

Remus looks confused. "Wouldn't you be going to the German wizarding school?"

James looks shocked. "There are other schools?!"

Remus gives his friend a withering glance. "Are you stupid enough to believe that wizards only exist in Britain?"

James looks sheepish.

"I was." I say, "But certain circumstances have forced me to attend Hogwarts, and not one of the other schools on the mainland."

Before Remus could open his mouth, the compartment door is thrown open to reveal a blonde haired boy in green accented robes. I glower at the familiar boy.

"Ka-" is all he manages before a gust of wind sweeps into the room and slams the door in his face, and the curtains sweeps themselves over the glass, effectively cutting off the boy's view to the inside of the compartment.

The boys across from me are staring, and James is a bit slack jawed. "Did you do that?"

"Do what?" I ask innocently, but my shields are instantly up, checking every possible threat in case I needed to vanish. If I lost control like that without speaking to the headmaster first, I could get thrown out of Hogwarts.

Remus looks at me skeptically, but thankfully doesn't press the subject.

"So, Katje, what year are you going to be in?" Peter asks.

"I will be in fifth, but I plan on taking higher level level classes of permitted. My old school was very advanced."

"We're in fifth. What House do you think you'll be in?" James inquires.

"Gryffindor rules." Sirius adds on.

"I will let the Sorting decide that. All I know is that no matter my House, I am among friends." I shrug.

"Anything off the trolley, dears?"

We hadnt noticed the compartment door open.

I scoop a few coins out of my pocket, and pick up a few things. I hold out my handful of coins.

"I am afraid that I am not familiar with your currency. Will this be enough?"

The trolley woman simply smiles, and picks our the needed coins. The boys get some things too, Remus grabbing several bars of chocolate.

I put most of the candy into my bag, but keep out the Peppermint Imps. Asterix clambers back to me, and promptly falls asleep on my shoulder.

Soon enough, after conversation had started to cease, I fell asleep against the window, my softly snoring kitten pressed up against my neck.

I was shaken awake, and groggily came to my sense. It was dark out now, the lamps on in the compartment. Asterix wasn't asleep anymore, she was in Remus' lap trying to get him to pet her. The boys were all in their robes, black and grey affairs with scarlet and gold accents.

"You should go get changed into your robes now. We'll be at Hogwarts soon." It was James, he was the one who had woken me up in the first place.

I nodd, trying in vain to rub the sleep out of my eyes. I grab my bag, and walk out of the compartment, heading towards the bathroom.

Inside, I saw that six other girls had the same idea. We each waited our turn,and soon enough i was walking back to the compartment. I had decided to alter my uniform a bit, as the original was hideous. I traded my grey wool jumper for a vest, and trashed the boring A-line skirt for a pleated one. Sitting back down in the compartment with my outer-robe stuffed into my bag, I whistle sharply.

Asterix freezes, and bounces over to me, sitting silently at my feet attentively.

I snap on a small collar, white and gold strip intricately woven together with a metal star-shaped dog tag hooked on.

I rub her head, and she trots off back to Remus, snuggling up to his side. "How long until we reach the school?" I ask.

"About an hour." Peter pipes up.

"So long, and yet so short." I chuckle. "If you would, can you tell me about Hogwarts? I know only what one can read from a book."

"Hogwarts: A History tells you a lot already." Remus shrugs. "Pretty much the only thing is the hidden room that litter the grounds."

"My mother told me about the, how do you call it?" I huff, realizing I don't know the english translation. "We call it the Raum der Wünsche, the room of wishes."

"The Room of Requirement, you mean." James gets it.

I smile. "Yes, the Room of Requirement."

Remus seems interested. "Your mum told you about it?"

Nodding I say, "My mother served one year as part of your Huddleput house, before returning to Germany."

"Huddleput?" Peter asks, confused, at the same time Sirius looks up from digging in his bag to say "Hufflepuff."

I grimace, knowing that the tips of my ears are probably turning red. "Sorry. Hufflepuff."

"She was part of Hufflepuff. Oh that's cool." Sirius didn't sound like he was convinced of his own words.

I got the feeling that Hufflepuff wasn't that great in his eyes.

The train started to slow, eventually lurching to a stop. Remus is the first to stand, and announces that we've arrived. He leaves all his stuff, and I open mu mouth to point that out.

"The House-elves bring it to our dorm." James explains.

I shrug, but still pick up my own bag. "I can't leave Asterix. Who knows what will happen." I scoop up the kitten, despoisting the mewling animal in my bag.

I follow the boys out onto the platform. A rather large, no, huge man is calling out for the first-years.

As soon as he sees me surrounded by James, Sirius, Remus and Peter like a protective detail the man launches into a massive grin.

"Mis' Bernha'dt! 'Is way, please." The man rumbles.

I dump my bag (with kitten stuffed once again in her pocket) into Sirius arms.

"If she's not back to me the same by the feast I will skin you." I smile sweetly, before melting into the crowed, navigating the flow of student to get to the giant.

After a nice little scenic trip uo to Hogwarts (my leg was bouncing in impatience the entire ride), we finally entered the school.

A woman in green appeared, told us to freshen up, before disappearing again.

"Miss Bernhardt," she says upon returning, "You will be sorted last.. When the hat calls out your name, please sit at the appropriate table."

She takes all the first-years into the Great Hall, leaving me alone for a good twenty or so minutes.

She returns, and we walk through the doors. I sit on the stool, and the lady in green drops a beaten old hat onto my head.

'Ahhhhhhhh. Welcome to Hogwarts, my lady.' The hat says.

'Thank you, Hat.' I smile, probably unnerving my audience.

'Hmmmm. You'd be a wonderful fit for both Slytherin or Ravenclaw, but you have already made ties to Gryffindor. Id say then….'

"RAVENDOR!"

The hat is plucked off my head. I turn to the woman, one eyebrow arched. "Professor, is there aRavendor house?"

The woman shakes her head. "No. Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Gryffindor and Hufflepuff."

I hold oyt my hand. "Then I'll take the talking hat back."

The hat once more on my head, the Hat muses it over.

'Our choices define us, Hat. And with that said, I choose Gryffindor.' I say.

"So be it. GRYFFINDOR!"

I return to hat to the Professor, and sweep down to the cheering table of scarlet and gold.

"Here." Sirius hands me my cat, whose eyes light up and starts meowing.

I take the kitten, and she climbs up on my shoulder. Dinner proceeds, with several people introducing themselves to me.

Lily Evans. Another fifth year, and one of my roommates. James was practicalling drooling over her, and i got the distinct Impression it was a regular occurrence.

Alice Prewett. Also fifth year, and Lily's best friend. By the end of dinner, I had learned that she and Frank Longbottom were in a thing. A very adorable thing.

"So Katje, what classes are you taking?" Lily ask as we exit the

I stop suddenly, remembering. "Thank you, Lily. I have to speak to the Headmaster about my classes."

"I will see you later tonight, then." I walk off I the direction of the Headmaster's office, having asked directions from a prefect.


End file.
